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GEORGE W. SHADE, OF SHIPPENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 72,232, dated December 17, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE HAIPIORKS.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONGERN:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. SHADE, of Shippensburg, county oi'Cumberland, andstate of'Pe'n-usylvania, have invented a new and improvedHay-Fork and I do hereby declare that the following is a. full, clear,and exact description thereof', which will enable others skilled in theart to make and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing-s, forming a part of, this specification, in which-- l Figure Irepresents a view of the-fork, as applied, ready to enter the hay Figure2 represents the fork shut and loaded with the hay. y

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to new d'evices for loading and unloading hay,straw, or grain in sheaf or bundle, so that the same can be easilyhandled and carried to any place desired.l

In the drawings, A represents thepron'gs or tines of the fork, made ofstrong wood, iron, steel, or any other suitable material, to which areattached bars B B', at convenient distances from eachother, havingtoggle-joints a :1t-each end, andthe upper or bar B having four oi'these toggle-joints, one at either end, where the bar is attached to theprongs, and' one' on either4 side of the handle D.. The handle D passesthrough the bars B B', to the lower ofrwhich, B,`it is attached in anyconvenient way. Between the bars B B I insert a spiral spring, C. Thisspring may be either spiral or of any other form, so as to serve for thelpurpose intended. A triprod,/ E, with Aa catch, b, at its lower end, isattached to the handle D, by means of a rivet, so as to allowfreemotion. Through the holes in handle D and trip-rod E a rope is placed,by means of which thetrip-rod is operated.

The forliA thus constructed is operated as follows: the prongs standapart, as represented in fig. i1, they are ready to enter the hay, when,by pressing down with, the foot upon the upper bar B, the prongs ope'r-Aated bythe Atoggle-joints are brought together upon the hay. The catchat the end of the trip-rod Eliuswthen/ pushed down on the upper bar B,and the prongs are thus firmly secured upon the hay. The forkV thusloaded is then carried to the mow or other place for storing the hay,when, by. pulling the trip-rope, the catch on the rodE is released fromits hold on the bar, the prongs are opened, and the hay allowed to fallwherever desired, the spring, in conjunction with the weight of the hay,throwing the tines apart when the trip-rod is pnlocked.

I do not confine myself to the use of one pairof prongs, as any numberof pairs c an be used and operated upon the same principle.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by LettersPatent,.is

A hay-fork, constructed in the manner substantially as described, withone or more pairs of prongs, in combination with bars B B',toggle-joints a, spring C, handle D, and trip-catch E, all operating inthe manner as `and for the purpose set forth.

GEORGE W SHADE.

Y Witnesses: Y

J. W. McPrmnsoN, J. O, M. BUTTS.

